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Orchids are popular house plants but it is very easy to kill them by over watering. Should you water them with ice cubes?
It is sometimes advised to water orchids with ice cubes.
It might be easier to get the right amounts with ice cubes, but while some have found joy with the mother, others have not.
Two or three ice cubes a week are usually advised.
Gardener Ellen Mary discussed the orchid card tip.
She old Express.co.uk: “It’s something I’ve heard for and against the ice.
“Lots of people have suggested ice cubes, but I’ve also read things that have said no that is not the right thing to do. It’s a bit of trial and error.
“However, Mr. Allan Titchmarch said something about it a couple ofyears ago, the same thing I was thinking all along.
“It’s just too much water for them.
“In their natural environment, they wouldn’t be in wet soil.
“When you do water them, make sure you let the water thoroughly drain away.”
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How do I know if my orchid is overwatered?
There a numerous signs of an overwatered orchid to look out for. They are:
- Buds falling off your plant, which could be caused by root rot
- Soft leaves
- Black and squishy roots
What can you do if your orchid has root rot?
If your orchid has root rot, cut all of the affected roots off and then spay the remaining roots with hydrogen peroxide 3 percent.
However, there is one strategy Ellen does recemmend for orchids.
It involves bathing the plants less often, rather than watering them frequently.
Ellen explained how she puts her orchids in the bath one every couple of weeks, or even less frequently.
She bathes the plants “maybe at least three or maybe even every four weeks.”
After, she makes sure to stand them so the water can drain away.
Then she will spritz her orchids with a water spray “from time to time”.
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